Adjustable storage rack



1964 M. A. TRAVIS 3,120,200

ADJUSTABLE STORAGE RACK Filed March 16. 1961 w 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f0 i 0 j by, 11 15 T 1'] Z8) a3 32 BY 6%JW United States Patent 3,120,233 ADJUSTABLE TGRAGE RACK Merton A. Travis, 515 Avenida Caballeros, falm Springs, Calif, Filed Mar. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 96,262 2 Claims. (til. l03107) This invention relates to an adjustable storage rack structure.

An object of the invention is to provide a rack that is capable of rapid and facile assembly and disassembly, both when the shelf portion of the rack is empty and when loaded with heavy items.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack structure, for storing purposes, that is especially adapted to be assembled and disassembled by means such as a fork-lift truck.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shelf rack in which there is a flush outside relationship between the uprights or columns of the rack and the item-supporting shelves connected thereto, thereby eliminating projections that may interfere with safe movements of men and equipment in close adjacency to the rack.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working posit-ion and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, and which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely shows, and the following description merely describes, preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view of an adjustable storage rack according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and broken side elevational view showing the connection details between the uprights and the shelves comprising the rack.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an upright showing the form of shelf-engaging slots used in the present invention.

FlG. 5 is a plan sectional detail view of a modification.

FIG. 6 is a broken front elevational View showing the rack with one shelf in assembled position and another shelf with one end in elevated position.

FIG. 7 is a plan sectional view of the rack showing a shelf with one end supported and the other end with the supporting pins removed.

The adjustable rack structure that is illustrated comprises, generally, a rigid frame it; made up of longitudinally spaced front and rear pairs of columns or uprights 11 and 12, respectively, one or more shelves l3 spacing across the longitudinal space between the up rights of each pair thereof, means 14- to separably connect the shelves to said pairs of uprights, and means 15 to guide the shelves, one at a time, into connecting position during movement of the shelves into the space between the uprights of each pair thereof.

The two pairs of uprights comprising the frame 10 are formed as channels that are preferably placed in rectilinear arrangement, as shown in FIG. 1, with the webs 16 of the front pair 11 narrower across than the webs 17 of the rear pair 12. The flanges 13 of both pairs of channels have the same width, and the latter are provided with inturned flange ends 19. Since the uprights 7 3,120,330 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 of each pair of channels 11 and 12 are centered on each other, front to back, the space spanning between the channels 11 is greater than the space spanning between channels 12. Except for the different width webs 16 and 17, the uprights l1 and 12 are alike, as are the means 14 thereof, later described.

The uprights are held vertically in any suitable way and, as shown in FIG. 1, the front uprights and the rear uprights may be connected by braces 20, thereby leaving the space between the pairs of uprights clear and unobstructed to accommodate one or more shelves 13. Thus, the present rack comprises a pair of end frames that are connected by one or more shelves 13.

The shelf 13 that is shown is typical of other shelves that may be used in the present rack structure. The same is shown as front and rear longitudinal members 21 and 22 retained in spaced relation by a set of connecting members 23, the spacing of members 21 and 22 conforming to the front-to-back spacing of the uprights. Said shelf may be made in other ways, provided the member 22 is as much shorter than the member 21 as the spacing between uprights 12 is less than the spacing between uprights 11. A cap plate 24 is aflixed, as by welding, to each end of the members 21 and 22, the same having a vertical face-to face association with the inner flanges 18 of the uprights, when the shelf 13 is in operative position between the pairs of uprights.

It will be noted from FIG. 2 that plates 24 extend below the lower portions of members 21 and 22, thereby creating a space 25 between members 21 and 22 and the lower edges of plates 24. The forks 26 of a fork-lift truck are adapted to occupy said space 25 and can engage a shelf to lift the same from a surface, such as a floor, on which said plates 24 rest.

The means 14 is shown as a longitudinally arranged series of slots 27 formed in the uprights 11 and 12, and two vertically arranged pins 28 extending from the outer surfaces of the cap plates 24.

Each slot 27 comprises an elongated entry portion 29 formed in the sides of the web 16 adjacent the flanges 18, and a downwardly extending bayonet portion 30 formed in each flange 18 and in communication with entry portion 29. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, a pin on an axis parallel to the plane of web 16 may be moved in a direction transverse to its axis into generously elongated entry portion 29 and, when encountering the curved back edge 31 of slot portion 39, being guided thereby into support engagement with the lower closed end 32 of said slot portion 30. As can be seen, the entry portion of the slot may be four times larger than the pin entering the same, thereby making it easy to enter a pin to engage the slot portion 34).

The pins 23 are such pins and are here shown as hav ing heads or end flanges 33 that pass into entry slots with suitable clearance and serve to retain the shelf from endwise displacement when the pins 23 are engaged in the bayonet portions 30 of slots 27.

As seen best in FIG. 1, the means 15 comprises inbent ends on the cap plates 24 so that the distance between said ends on opposite sides of the shelf is substantially less than the distance between the opposed cap plates. These lead-in portions 15 enable a construction that has minimum clearance between the respective uprights and the cap plates at the ends of shelf members 21 and 22, respectively, and yet enabling easy application of a shelf to support position in the frame 10.

With the shelf resting on the floor or other support surface, the forks 26 of a lift truck may be introduced into the space 25 from the side of the shelf having the longer longitudinal member 21. After lifting of the shelf, the truck transports the same to the frame and introduces the longitudinal member 22 with the cap plates 24 thereon,

so that the pins 28 clear the uprights 11 on both sides. This forward movement of the truck is continued until the lead-in means 15 on member 24 pass between the rear wider uprights and said means on member 21 pass between the front uprights. This will bring all four sets of pins 28 into the entry portions 29. of horizontally aligned slots 27. Continued movement brings said pins to bear against slot edges 31. Now, as the forks 25 are lowered, the pins 28 will drop into slot ends 3-2 and the shelf 13 will be properly supported, the pin heads 33 centering the shelf in the frame 10.

Removal of a shelf is as easily accomplished in the reverse manner to the manner of application.

'I-t will be seen, especially in FIG. '3, that, after assembly of a shelf 13 in frame 10, there is a flush condition between the face or webs 16 of uprights 11 and the front of the shelf, and that there are no projections beyond the side of the frame represented by the webs 16.

The elongated pins provide clearance, as shown in FIG. 2, which will permit free movement of the pins at either end of the shelf so that the shelf ends can be individually adjusted.

The modification shows a structure in which a channel member 35 is substituted for the cap plate 24 so that two I sets of pins 28 may be provided to engage in bayonet slots 27 along both edges of each upright. In other respects, the connection is the same as the connection above described. This modification is especially effective for supporting a cantilever arm 35 that extends from channel member 35 to be normal to the web of said member and the Web 16 of the upright.

Although two pins 23 are shown at each connect-ion point, one may be used.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the constructions are, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular forms of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable storage rack comprising a pair of spaced rigid end frames, each frame formed with a front ning between said longitudinal members with the side of the rear longitudinal member that extends between the rear pair of channels shorter than the side of the front longitudinal member that extends between the front pair of channels; connecting means comprising transversely aligned vertically spaced pairs of bayonet slots formed in the front portion of the inner side wall of each of the channels and elongated entry portions formed in the sides of the webs adjacent said inner side walls and opening into the upper portion of said bayonet slots, end-directed pins on both mentioned front and rear longitudinal shelf members and engaged in said bayonet slots; and in-bent lead-in portions on bothends of both sides of the front and rear longitudinal members to guide the shelf be tween the pair of channels during movement thereof toward disposition between their end frames.

2. An adjustable storage rack according to claim 1 in which two of the mentioned end-directed pins, vertically spaced, are provided at each end of each longitudinally extending shelf member, each said pin being engaged in and supported by a seat formed in said respective bayonet slot, each pin being provided with an end head larger in size than said seat in said'bayonet slot, said pins being longer than the thickness dimension of the inner side walls in which said slots are formed to provide substantial clearance between the inner side faces of said inner side walls of the channel and the headed ends of the pins, whereby said shelf members are readily separable at each of their ends.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lang May 16, 1961 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE STORAGE RACK COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED RIGID END FRAMES, EACH FRAME FORMED WITH A FRONT AND REAR FORWARDLY FACING CHANNEL MEMBER CONNECTED TOGETHER, THE WEB OF THE REAR CHANNEL BEING WIDER THAN THE WEB OF THE FRONT CHANNEL WITH ITS INNER SIDE WALL POSITIONED INWARDLY OF THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE FRONT CHANNEL; A SHELF INCLUDING SPACED FRONT AND REAR LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS AND A PAIR OF SPACED RIGID CONNECTING MEMBERS SPANNING BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS WITH THE SIDE OF THE REAR LONGITUDINAL MEMBER THAT EXTENDS BETWEEN THE REAR PAIR OF CHANNELS SHORTER THAN THE SIDE OF THE FRONT LONGITUDINAL MEMBER THAT EXTENDS BETWEEN THE FRONT PAIR OF CHANNELS; CONNECTING MEANS COMPRISING TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED VERTICALLY SPACED PAIRS OF BAYONET SLOTS FORMED IN THE FRONT PORTION OF THE INNER SIDE WALL OF EACH OF THE CHANNELS AND ELONGATED ENTRY PORTIONS FORMED IN THE SIDES OF THE WEBS ADJACENT SAID INNER SIDE WALL OF EACH OF THE INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BAYONET SLOTS, END-DIRECTED PINS ON BOTH MENTIONED FRONT AND REAR LONGITUDINAL SHELF MEMBERS AND ENGAGED IN SAID BAYONET SLOTS; AND IN-BENT LEAD-IN PORTIONS ON BOTH ENDS OF BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT AND REAR LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS TO GUIDE THE SHELF BETWEEN THE PAIR OF CHANNELS DURING MOVEMENT THEREOF TOWARD DISPOSITION BETWEEN THEIR END FRAMES. 